The present invention relates generally to shoe-closure devices. More particularly, the invention concerns a novel attachment device that is fittable on a variety of lace-closable shoes for use with a lace-substitute hand-actuable shoe-closure system.
Conventional lace-closable shoes are of course well known. Such shoes provide a satisfactory attachment mechanism for many applications. However, there are instances when a lace-closure mechanism is undesired or impractical. Such instances are substantial and involve certain classes of individuals who for various reasons are unable to accomplish lace closure. Those classes include: (1) people with rheumatoid arthritis, (2) people with weight problems who have difficulty bending over for the length of time required to perform lace closure, (3) people with Alzheimer's disease who have forgotten how to tie a shoe but may remember a simpler closure mechanism, (4) people with multiple sclerosis, (5) people with particular injuries that make it difficult for them to bend over for the length of time required to tie a shoe.
There are also those who need/desire an easier and quicker shoe-closure mechanism even though they are capable of accomplishing it. Such individuals include: (1) people with lower extremity edema who must adjust the snugness of their shoes frequently during an average day, (2) children, especially the very young, and (3) athletes.
To meet the need for a substitute to lace-closure of shoes, there have been several proposals. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,614 to Kelly shows shoe closure strap apparatus with opposing anchor plates and a strap that is extendable between the plates. The plates are attached to opposing flaps of a shoe by using lock pins or a fixed-position, lace-opening engagement hook.
None of the conventional devices proposed as substitutes to lace-closure is constructed for dealing with shoes of varying thicknesses. To provide a substitute closure mechanism usable on a variety of lace-closable shoes, the mechanism must work via an attachment mechanism that is operable on surfaces having various thicknesses.
Such attachment mechanisms of conventional devices are also deficient because they require relatively fine-motor hand activity. To allow use by people with little or no fine-motor hand function, such attachment mechanisms need to allow for attachment using gross-motor hand activity.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an attachment device for use with a lace-substitute hand-actuable shoe-closure system which overcomes the drawbacks of prior art systems.
Another object is to provide such a device that accommodates attachment to shoes with flaps of varying thicknesses.
Yet another object is to provide such a device that allows attachment using gross-motor hand activity.
Another important object of the invention is to provide such a device that provides a locking attachment as a way of preventing inadvertant release from a shoe during use.
Still another object is to provide such a device that promotes ease of actuation and self-stabilization when placed in a closure position;
Yet another object is to provide such a device that provides a fixed attachment to a desired shoe flap.
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device that can be easily and cost-effectively manufactured.
In brief summary, one aspect of the invention includes an attachment device that is fittable on a variety of lace-closable shoes for use with a lace-substitute hand-actuable shoe-closure system. The attachment device is used with conventional shoes that include dual flaps positioned on opposing sides of a tongue, with each flap having plural, spaced openings formed in it for receiving a shoe lace. The attachment device includes (1) buckle-like structure positionable adjacent at least one opening in each flap, and constructed for handling via gross-motor hand movement, (2) peg-like structure associated with the buckle-like structure, and having a preselected length which allows it to extend through at least the one opening in each such flap, and (3) fastener structure usable with the peg-like structure to effect releasable, hand-actuable attachment of the buckle-like structure to each flap. The fastener structure and buckle-like structure are constructed to allow such attachment via gross-motor hand movement by the user, and to provide ultimately for attachment to such shoes with flaps having thicknesses that vary from shoe to shoe.
Another aspect of the invention is a substitute shoe-closure system that includes the above-described attachment device and a lace-substitute hand-actuable shoe-closure mechanism. That mechanism is characterized by closure structure being associable with the buckle-like structure, and being constructed for hand-actuable closure via gross-motor hand movement by the user, thereby to allow a wearer of such shoe to use the device as a substitute for lace closure.
For either aspect of the invention, the attachment device preferably includes the following other features:
(1) peg-like structure with a terminal region being constructed to extend through the opening, and fastener structure being selectively attachable to the peg-like structure at desired locations along its length to accommodate attachment to various shoes with openings of various depths; PA1 (2) buckle-like structure made with first and second, spaced, substantially planar expanses, each expanse being positionable adjacent the at least one opening in each flap, and with the first expanse including a subsection oriented to extend at a preselected angle relative to the remainder of the first expanse, and wherein the closure structure is constructed for selective placement in a desired closure position bridging the space between the expanses, with the angled orientation of the subsection promoting ease of actuation and stabilization of the closure structure in the closure position; PA1 (3) fastener structure also being constructed to provide locking attachment to the buckle-like structure as a way of preventing inadvertant release from the same while a user is wearing a shoe fitted with the device; PA1 (4) closure structure including both elongate strap-like substructure movable to a closure position to attach it to the buckle-like structure, and holder substructure positionable adjacent the buckle-like structure for releasably holding a section of the strap-like substructure which extends beyond the buckle-like structure when the strap-like structure is moved to the closure position; PA1 (5) holder substructure being formed with primary and auxiliary holder units, with the primary holder unit positionable on the first expanse, and the auxiliary holder unit releasably attachable to the shoe outwardly of the first expanse and away from the second expanse, the auxiliary holder unit thereby being capable of holding a section of the strap-like substructure that extends beyond the first expanse when the strap-like substructure is in the closure position; and PA1 (6) fastener structure further including barb-like substructure constructed to attach fixedly the fastener structure to each flap.
The attachment device of the present invention may alternatively be made with the fastener structure and the peg-like structure being provided in a unitary construction, and with the peg-like structure having a terminal region being constructed to extend through the opening in each flap. Attachment to the shoe is then achievable by constructing the peg-like structure for manually bending into a hook-like shape after the bottom region is placed through the opening.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description of the preferred embodiment.